Britain’s electric vehicle owners bring their appetite for technology into the home

Key findings: 

• Electric vehicles (EVs) account for 5% of Britons’ primary cars, compared with 60% for petrol, 23% for diesel and 11% for hybrid. 
• EV owners show a stronger appetite for new technology, with 54% interested in trying the latest tech products, services and apps, versus 38% of petrol, diesel or hybrid owners.
• Smart home technology is more common among EV owners, including smart meters (65% vs. 44%), smart speakers (59% vs. 41%) and smart thermostats (35% vs. 18%).

Electric vehicles account for a small share of Brits’ primary household cars. Only 5% of car-owning Britons say their primary car has an electric engine, according to YouGov Profiles data. By comparison, 60% say it has a petrol engine, 23% a diesel engine, and 11% have a hybrid.

But electric vehicles may be just one part of a wider appetite for technology among the Britons who own them. YouGov Profiles data shows that they are not only more enthusiastic about trying new technology in general but are also more engaged with smart technology inside the home.

There is also a demographic dimension to this. Nearly four in ten (38%) electric vehicle owners are Gen X, compared with 29% of petrol, diesel or hybrid vehicle owners.

Millennials make up similar proportions of the two groups (32% vs. 29%), while electric vehicle owners are less likely to be Baby Boomers or older (23% vs. 32%).

The income mix also differs. Nearly half (48%) of EV owners are in the higher-income bracket, compared with 26% of those whose primary car has a petrol, diesel or hybrid engine. Conversely, 9% of EV owners are lower income, compared with 16% of the comparison group.

EV owners display an early-adopter mindset

Beyond these demographic differences, EV owners stand out for their attitudes towards technology.

Nearly three-quarters (72%) say technology changes their life for the better, compared with 64% of Britons whose primary car has a petrol, diesel or hybrid engine. But the bigger differences emerge when it comes to seeking out new technology rather than simply viewing it positively.

More than half (54%) say they are usually interested in trying the latest technology products, services and apps, compared with 38% of the comparison group. And 38% say they are often among the first of their friends to try new technology products and services, compared with 21% of Britons whose primary car is petrol, diesel or hybrid.

Are EV owners more likely to own smart home appliances?

Smart meters are present in the homes of 65% of EV owners, compared with 44% of Britons whose primary car has a petrol, diesel or hybrid engine. EV owners are also more likely to report having a smart voice-controlled speaker (59% vs. 41%) and smart home security cameras, sensors or alarms (40% vs. 23%).

Over a third of EV owners have a smart thermostat (35% vs. 18%) or smart light system (34% vs. 13%). They are also more likely to have smart washing machines or tumble dryers (16% vs. 9%) and smart scales or other health-tracking devices (14% vs. 7%).

For brands, Britons whose primary car is electric represent a particularly receptive audience for connected technology beyond the automotive category.

Methodology: 

YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data through rolling surveys, rather than a single limited questionnaire. Figures are drawn from responses collected between August 2025 and August 2026, using a 52-week dataset updated weekly. Data is nationally representative of adults (18+) in Great Britain and weighted by age, gender, region, education, and social grade.

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